Why is the province hiding its municipal efficiency report?

In 2019, Premier Doug Ford appointed two advisers to help Ontario municipalities become more effective and efficient, but the experts’ recommendations remain locked away as a cabinet secret. Under freedom-of-information legislation, The Record has obtained 8,979 pages of other documents submitted to the regional government review, capturing the views of 1,052 local residents.

WATERLOO REGION — Premier Doug Ford made a campaign promise to ensure every tax dollar counts.

Seven months into its first term, acting on that promise, the Progressive Conservative government appointed two expert advisers to help 82 municipal governments become more effective, efficient and modern.

That was in January 2019. The advisers were Michael Fenn, a former deputy minister and former head of the Metrolinx transportation agency, and Ken Seiling, recently retired after chairing Waterloo regional government for 33 years.

Seiling and Fenn reviewed municipal performance across a large swath of southern Ontario. They received more than 8,500 public submissions from mayors to everyday taxpayers.

The Ford government received their report. It paid the advisers for their work. And then it kept their recommendations secret.

The Record asked for the report and recommendations made by Seiling and Fenn only to be told they will not be released.

Municipal government in Waterloo Region is nearly a $2-billion-a-year enterprise. It levies almost $900 million in annual property taxes, employs 6,500 people full time and thousands more part time, and is directed by 59 elected politicians.

Our local governments deliver vital everyday services such as clean water, police, ambulances, firefighting, garbage collection, local roads, parks and playgrounds.

Seiling and Fenn examined this region. The Record believes the information they collected, and the recommendations they made, should be shared and discussed.

Freedom-of-information legislation was used to request documents from the municipal review. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs demanded $3,060 for partial access. Negotiations reduced this amount to $970 for 725 documents totalling 8,979 pages.

The newspaper received the documents earlier this year, 441 days after asking to see them. The report given to the Ford government by Seiling and Fenn is not among them. It is exempt from public access under cabinet secrecy provisions written into law.